"My father?"
"Well .... to tell you the truth there was a bit of a breeze there," he said, and then followed the story of the scene at the Speaker's.
"But no matter! I'm not without money, so we can be married at once, and the sooner the better."
"But Alick," she said (he was stroking her hand and she was trying to draw it away), "do you think it's best?"
"Best? Why, of course I think it's best. Don't you?"
She did not reply.
"Don't you?" he said again, and then, getting no answer, he became aware that she, who had been so eager for their marriage before he went to Ballamoar, was now holding back.
"Bessie," he said, "has anything happened while I've been away?"
"No! Oh no!"
"You're .... you're not thinking of the loss of the income, are you?"